Mind Rolling Monastery

I fondly remember my visit to Mind Rolling Monastery. I was in Dehradun and was glad I got to visit the famous Monastery, which was in Clement Town. The roads outside and nearby the Monastery was rough and untidy, to be precise. Inside the premise, it was Mind rolling, signified its namesake, for it was quite, serene and lovely. Just "Bliss" to summarise and cut short.


My friend who has been staying at Dehradun for sometime because of her work told me that the Dumplings and chopsueys were so good and worth a try inside the Monastery.She loved visiting the place. The many shops have souvenirs and Tibeten artefacts, lovely decorative pieces and bangles.(One of my beautiful German colleague was so impressed about the bangle, when she saw me wearing it, in one of our jungle trips together . She kept on harping and sking where I have got it from. She liked it so much and told me that she will ask, one of her students to get it from Dehradun).




Inside the Monastery, there were so many monks doing about their daily rituals and chores. It was so beautiful and well maintained. Indeed,everything about the Mind Roling was clean, clear and peaceful.


In nearby places to the Monastery, I get to see a large Tibetan settlement. It was so nice to get a glimpse of the Stupa, i.e World's Largest Stupa, of the re-established Mindrolling Monastery from Tibet. I came to know it was inaugurated on 28th October 2002 and was surrounded by a 2-acre (8,100 m2) garden. Walking inside the monastery was relaxing. The food was good, though they only serve vegetarian tibetan cuisine. From the Monastery, I also got to see the tree canopies of the Rajaji National Park as they shared the borders with the Monastery.

There was also a high statue of Buddha, 103 feet (31 m)which was dedicated to the Dalai Lama. Inside the monastery, I felt as if I was not in India, but in some place secluded from this world. ( This was testified as all my friends kept on asking me where the location was, when they saw the stupa after I uploaded the pics in one of the social networking sites). And then to thier surprise, it was in India.

The Monastery also have a very prestigious college, Graphic Era Institute of Technology. Founded by Mr. Ghanshala. Many tourists thronged in there as well as Localites as it provided a sanctum to everyone.



I thanked my friend, in my heart of heart for taking me there. We have had a lovely time which remained so good even today, time and again...

Lodi Gardens...

It's always good to visit Lodi Gardens... be it spring, summer,or winter. It never fails to charm in any season of the year. In a hot place like Delhi, summer can be a respite and cool place in Lodi gardens.










In spring, flowers bloom everywhere inside the garden.








There are a few monuments, tombs which enhance the beauty and charm of the Garden manifold.










It's a picnic spot for people all throughout the year and a jogger's park for some people in all the seasons.

A South Indian Weekend Gateway… A trip to Mysore

How was Mysore? It was quieter to Bangalore as I started off from Bangalore. Life was going at a lazy, slow pace there. It was a beautiful city. So, the exciting thing about Mysore…

The facts are- it's hardly 3 hours from Majestic Bus stop, Bangalore. Going by the Volvo was easy and comfortable. Kept on watching a movie and the sights/ scenery and it reached us on no time. Mysore can be a good weekend getaway from Bangalore. We had little time.We were looking forward to short hols too. Mysore was the right destination: Cultural capital, City of Palaces of Karnataka.
After reaching Mysore, we hired a Taxi for the whole trip to Mysore Town. That includes Chamundi hills, Zoo (which we skipped, as seen Animals/ Birds all the time in its natural habitats: Sanctuaries, Wild life parks), Mysore palace, and Brindavan Gardens. The driver was a very sweet, friendly old guy.




Visit to Chamundi temple can be an enriching experience. It's nestled high up on the Chamundi hills. It was a steep drive and we really liked it. The temple, named after Chamundeshwari or Durga, the fierce form of Shakti, a tutelary deity held in reverence for centuries by Mysore Maharajas. The temple has a seven story tall 'Gopura' decorated with intricate carvings. The deity of the goddess is said to be made of gold and the temple doors of silver. As a friend had recommended, Chamundi temple was the first place we visited upon reaching Mysore. It has always been so good to visit temples while on holidays. Really, Pilgrim holidays have been so fulfilling. It was an amazing experience.


As it was some hours drive from Bangalore. After visiting Chamundi Temple, we were damn hungry, not at all tired, rather excited and delighted. So, after much introspection and enquiries from friends who have stayed in Mysore. We came to know of few places, about good popular restaurants in Mysore and shopping places for Mysore sarees. RRR was a good option on restaurants as it was at close proximity from the Mysore Palace, which was our next destination. Getting sarees from State Kaveri Emporium was right. The food at RRR was very good, tasty Andhra food. Everything about it was gratifying, though didn't like the rush part. It was so crowded for its good food and popularity. And the price was very affordable for everyone (rich/poor, I guess: Dirt cheap if you happen to be dining in good restaurants in big cities). Mysore palace was our next destination on the day's Agenda. Horses run transport system/ drive on carriage was another option to ply to nearby places from there.

Mysore Palace, the official residence of the Wodeyars - the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, was a beautiful palace with so many rooms which also houses two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting hall of the royal court). The view from the Durbar hall to the gates was a very pleasing view which opens to the outside world. It really catapulted me to have the view to the outside gates from the Palace.



Mysore palace was a tourist site, not only for Indians as I came across many foreign tourists as well. I was all the more thrilled and surprised when I learnt that it was one of the most famous tourist attractions in India after Taj Mahal with more than 2.7 million visitors.

Every autumn, the Palace is the venue for the famous Mysore Dasara festival, which is the most extravagant festival of Mysore. This celebration commemorates the victory of the great Goddess Durga, (Chamundeshwari) after she slew the demon, Mahishasura, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil according to Hindu mythology. During Dasara, news about the festivities to be held at Mysore are flashed everyday. In my short sojourn in Bangalore, it was quite hectic and only could manage to have those glimpses of festivals and catch up from many newspapers. It was also learning about new cultures that of south India.



Inside the large palace, got to see ornately gilded columns, stained glass ceilings, decorative steel grills, and chandeliers with fine floral motifs, mirrored in the pietra dura mosaic floor embellished with semi-precious stones. It was a grand palace with art works in many rooms. I also tried listening to the music which came from a hollow pillar, after tapping it as some of the local tourists asked me to try out. My sis was quite glad and so was I. There were multi-hued stained glass ceiling with peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns. Also, the floor of the Mantapa had the peacock theme with a peacock mosaic, designed with tiles from England.
Next trip was Brindavan Gardens. To enter Brindavan gardens, we were suppose to take tickets. The queue was a long one and there were all kinds of people, it was quite crowded. Brindavan gardens doesn’t strike me much though I loved and enjoyed the boat rides. There were so many fountains, that was relaxing and refreshing and flower blooms were not much at that time when we visited. I was expecting quite so much, from Brindavan Gardens as I have seen it to be very beautiful as a kid from cousins Family hols photo collection from their whole south India tours and travels.



Though, I can’t deny I like the designs and large terrace gardens arrangements. There was so much street food for visitors to try out, which was encouraging. While still in Brindavan gardens, it was becoming all dark and night was setting in.
We bid Adios to Mysore with fond memories of sights, fun, smiles, lovely people and beauty of the places visited and that of a short getaway. It was very fulfilling to visit a temple, a palace of grandeur and a beautiful garden with a pleasant boat ride not excluding the ride passing through many beautiful, spectacular sights of Mysore city. Our Taxi guy drove us back to the Volvo stand and guided us. It was a moment of truth that, it ended with a sweet note and a happy smile that it was a lovely day. Goodtimes never failed to fascinate us, my sis ( who came all the way from Delhi (to attend a fren’s South Indian Wedding for 2/ 3 days) and me who ended up meeting her in Bangalore decided to tour Mysore for a day…
Till then, Mysore rocks in its quiet, sweet way, away from the crowded, maddening, hustle and bustle of big city metros.

Window crash mania.

http://www.adamok.net/2008/10/portable-hard-drives.html-I love reading blogs on Gadgets and Gizmos like this.

I've read this blog before. At that time, I found it very interesting and informative.I thought at that point of time, everyone with a laptop needs to have one portable harddrive and it's a must. But, recently when my Laptop got stucked and could open with only the Window explorer on the screen. I was so confused and just could not understand what was I supposed to do. The Service centre wasn't honest and hard bent on cheating. He kept on insisting me that I need a new Hard Disk / drive and the problem was with the hardware. As I wasn't convinced and something was not right, I came back with the Laptop and started asking many people about that. Help did keep pouring in. But some IT people also insisted that it was the Hardware Problem . That made me think twice. I have to take it to the service centre finally again and the guy again was telling me to buy the Hard drive. So, I told him I have lots of friends in the Software and Hardware field and they need to thoroughly check it before thinking about the Hard Drive as my friends have told me otherwise. The service centre started working on the problem. Finally, it turned out to be the classic case of Computer Window crash. In the process, I lost my pics , data , almost everything on my Laptop. Ignorance is no longer bliss. As I thought, it will be hard on their part to retrieve it (and the repair people had never used the word Window crash as everyone seems to repair it easily nowadays . And besides, I paid a good amount of money for repairing, rebooting,etc. I realised, if I love Gadgets and Gizmos, I truly need to read manuals and know about Gadgets (applicable to Handycams, Digicams, mobiles and so on) so that I can be so hands on . I guess,I can understand a Laptop a little better now .I have learnt my lesson now.

Earth Hour 2009.

Everyone can make a difference and a big one at that, for Climate change. It can be done so easily by switching off lights for just one hour on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8: 30 pm .

Just a Campaign which started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million homes / business turning lights off for one hour. It will be reaching out to more than one billion people in 1000 cities,including India( by switching off lights for just one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009), supporting climate change .538 cities in 75 countries, double the no. of countries that participated in 2008, are committed. An earnest effort to take action on global warming. Aims to reach one billion people, more than 1000 cities.

With up to 50 million people across 35 countries participating only a year later from the start of the campaign in 2007(Global landmark like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, all stood in darkness, showing symbols). Earth Hour is truly a global sustainability movement of hope for a global cause that encompassed Territories and boundaries.

Superstar Aamir khan is the face of the Campaign in India.

Earth Hour 2009, turn off your lights at 8.30pm Saturday 28 March for a better Sustainable Climate and future.

Take the lead on climate change
See the World in a whole new light
Join Earth Hour
8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on 28th March 2009
www.earthhour.in

By the Ganges , Haridwar / Rishikesh 1

My Haridwar, Rishikesh trip in Uttarakhand recently was not my first trip there, but I was the more elated. I know that Uttarakhand is a lovely, truly holy place, a picturisque landscape, a paradise for the nature lovers (not excluding Wildlife lovers) a feast and a marvel for the eyes. I have visited there before some three/ four years back and it was an awesome experience. Family Holidays have always been terrific and I count the trip to Haridwar, Rishikesh enchanting enough to remind always my family that we should go back anytime whenever we have the time in the coming future. Staying at Mohyal Ashram was a so nice experience. Loved the simple food we have there and the hospitality was unforgetable for sure, no doubts.







My trip few days back there was remarkable because I was on a business trip. I was too glad to visit the holy place,as please as a punch! We drove down to Haridwar/ Rishikesh early in the morning inorder to escape Traffic hurdles, stopped by Grand Cheetal where we had Great food. The garden there was amazing. It had good ambience. So,clicked some pics eventhough it was damn cold and chilly n frosty to be accurate.

By the Ganges 2

Continued from "By the Ganges, Haridwar /Rishikesh".

After a leisurely Breakfast. We headed to Haridwar. Reaching Haridwar, we were so lovingly and warmly welcome.Official work followed,but then in our heart of heart , we,three of us who were there for the business trip was looking forward to some adventure. So, hoping to accomplish and finish work perfectly at the right time was our motto of the trip. The drive was pretty smooth one except for occassional places. The scenic beauty entralled us no end. I 've to confide here my Mexican colleague was sleeping and perhaps was dreaming a sweet dream on the way. She already told me, she just came back from a disc as she had to bid some friends from Israel Goodbye.I guess, that was important and crucial too. She second it too.







When we were about to reach Haridwar, she told me curtly, she dreamt a dream. I wasn't surprised, I didn't ask her what was the dream about. Well, I was n't in my Dreamland, but among villages of India where anyone can feel the utmost realistic life and enjoy in the greenery and the cool landscape.Official work was swallowing up all the time. Finally,in the pretext of filling up of the Holy Ganges water , we were strolling for a few minutes by the side of Ganges. Later, We got time to sit silently and clicked picture with evening twilight as the background.





I always have the habit of letting people listen to the roaring of the water. I tried that by the Ganges in this trip. Some years back, I tried out that back by the Beas in Himachal Pradesh, before the Airtel Ad. came out with that idea.






I told our Driver to record the roaring of the Ganges water, he had records of so many things like the original chirping of birds n sounds of animals from their natural habitat and he 's always the first one to point/ sort out wild animals in the many Jungle Trips with all the right names.






He can be counted among good ornithologists as well, because of his knowledge about birds. I told him to abreast me of the birds name in the tour inside Rajaji National Park which we did tour.

By the Ganges 3

Continued from "By the Ganges, Haridwar/Rishikesh"




I 've visited and seen Lakshman Jhula, Ram Jhula and many religious Hindu temples nearby those areas in Rishikesh with family as we were supposed to remain grounded ,or Earthly with those Pilgrim cum fun holidays. I was quite believing the mexican to have the same pleasant time like I have had before there, but official work was not letting us that. So, Har- ki - Pauri, that was where we visited on the first night.



The Aarti has just been over with the spectacle of sound and colour. We were just at the right time when, after the ceremony, pilgrims float diyas (floral floats with lamps) and incense on the river, commemorating their deceased ancestors. We hurriedly went amidst the crowds to do that.






Har Ki Pauri is believed to be the exit point of the Ganges from the mountains and entry into the plains. Also known as Brahm Kund, this ghat was built by King Vikramaditya in memory of his brother Brithari who often meditated on the banks of river Ganga. History records an imprint of Lord Vishnu’s foot on one of the stones present on the ghat, which is indicative of the name. An evening ritual (Aarti) performed by the priests on the banks of river Ganga is a highly enchanting and divine experience.






Lamps are seen floating on the river, immersed after the ritual. A splendid aura of lights and chants fills the atmosphere in the evenings.What we knew at that moment was only that it's auspicious.Later, realised that thousands of people from all round the world do make a point to attend this prayer and pay respect to their deceased anscestors on their visit to Haridwar. We were blessed to do that even without the knowledge (God Willing!). The night followed with some cool ,breezy hours by the water. Just walking by the Ganges and being ourselves unguarded was thrilling,Welcoming. I bet, the Gods will also ask for that. So, The night went by lovingly.




The only compliant , I got from my Mexican fren was the night was lovely , but why was it starless always in India at night unlike in her hometown, Mexico . I corrected her , we have starlit nights in Imphal , Manipur and shared a lovely starlit night experience of Kulu , HP and there were many places with stars every nightin India (But , I haven't seen much stars in all my years in Delhi. ). I shared one experience with her, a night of thousand stars twinking nonendlessly. That was with one of my friends and we kept on gazing the stars ,muttering and gazing up perpetually , we never had this , ever in Delhi all these years . It was truly spectacular and filmy because it was so perfect for any one to believe and besides ,we had reached there through a rope way(True , to the name , being pulled by people from the other end , just like in Adventure books and Jungles )from the other end which had Apple , Peach orchards and lovely ,cute lodges and a hillock behind.We ended that day with that sweet note .

By the Ganges 4

Continued from "By the Ganges ,Haridwar/Rishikesh"



Morning was all ours after a hearty breakfast in Ganga azure, Big Ben Haridwar. As we have had some time, I told to drive till Sati Kunj. The Chandi devi, Mansa Devi and the rope way followed with buying prasads/ flowers for the deities prayers and having food here and there like chana Masala, typical of Haridwar and fruits and gulping dowmn cold drinks to quench the thrist with all the excitement. Rope-way was good. It was the cheapest among all places in India as was seen written in one of the boards. After completing our works (we have not forgotten our official tasks ) ,we sincerely felt truly blessed when we have the previlege and visited Rishikesh, the Triveni,Lakshman Jhula, Ram Jhula even though it was dark to understand anything( as it was late at night).The breezy weather was so good and so, chill out.





Unknowingly and surprisingly lucky, I happened to visit all the 'Panch Tirth' (Five Pilgrimages)in Hindu traditions within Haridwar, which were Gangadwara (Har-ki-pauri), Kushwart (Ghat), Kankhal, Bilwa Teerth (Mansa Devi) and Neel Parvat (Chandi Devi. I Love visiting the Sati kunj, everytime I visited Haridwar, Rishikesh. Even the Daksh Mahadev temple was worth visiting.

By the Ganges 5

Continued from "By the Ganges, Haridwar/ Rishikesh "






Third day was a new day, as we geared to head back to Delhi, after a meaningful, soul stirring visit to the Ganges banks for a holy dip.






People were bathing in the early twilight. It was considered and believed a dip in the Ganges cleansed the humanly bodies from worldly sins. When I told this to my Mexican fren, she dipped her head in the water. Ultimately, it was NIRVANA time for all of us as we three all have a hearty laugh. It was quite funny and at the same time so sweet.






The cute part of the whole trip was she was visiting the interiors of Daksh Mahadev Temple for a prayer the first day we visited the place,remembering she kept on telling me she hardly visited churches (We were thrilled.)and She bought Bhajan songs for her Mexican friends back home in Mexico was quite amusing and sweet gesture too.




The trip was good for all of us with some shopping, picking stuffs just as souvenir.






On our way back,we have a look at the Patanjali, Ramdev Centre and the sugarcane field where we got some sugarcane and Jaggery (Gur)just for the fun sake.



The workers were asking us to click the live making of Jaggery and they have a dekko(look) of it too in the Digicam.






We did that to our and their heart's content,Willingness.





Haridwar was simply a Gateway to God:tranquil and majestic.